Surgical instrument with wireless communication

Abstract

A surgical instrument for use with a robotic system that has a control unit and a shaft portion that includes an electrically conductive elongated member that is attached to a portion of the robotic system. The elongated member is configured to transmit control motions from the robotic system to an end effector.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A stapling instrument, comprising:
 a housing, comprising:
 a control unit; 
 a motor assembly; and 
 a battery; 
 
 an end effector, comprising:
 an anvil; 
 a staple cartridge; and 
 an RFID tag passively powered by inductive signals, wherein said RFID tag comprises stored information regarding an aspect of said staple cartridge; 
 
 an articulation joint; and 
 a rigid shaft assembly, comprising:
 a longitudinal axis; 
 a proximal end, wherein said rigid shaft assembly is connected to said housing at said proximal end; 
 a distal end, wherein said end effector is attached to said rigid shaft assembly at said distal end by said articulation joint, and wherein said articulation joint enables said end effector to be articulated about an articulation axis which is transverse to said longitudinal axis; and 
 a wired connection comprising an RFID reader, wherein said RFID reader comprises:
 an inductive coil configured to transmit inductive signals to said RFID tag; and 
 a receiving antenna at said distal end, wherein said RFID reader is configured to communicate with said RFID tag via said receiving antenna, and wherein said wired connection enables communication between said RFID reader and said control unit. 
 
 
 
     
     
       2. The stapling instrument of  claim 1 , wherein said aspect relates to a firing status of said staple cartridge. 
     
     
       3. The stapling instrument of  claim 1 , wherein said aspect relates to an identity of said staple cartridge. 
     
     
       4. The stapling instrument of  claim 1 , wherein said end effector comprises a second RFID tag. 
     
     
       5. The stapling instrument of  claim 4 , wherein said second RFID tag comprises stored information regarding a second aspect of said staple cartridge. 
     
     
       6. The stapling instrument of  claim 5 , wherein said second aspect relates to said staple cartridge type. 
     
     
       7. The stapling instrument of  claim 1 , wherein said stapling instrument further comprises:
 a closure drive operable to transmit a closing motion to move said end effector from an open configuration to a clamped configuration, wherein said closure drive comprises a closure element; 
 a firing drive operable to transmit a firing motion to eject staples from said staple cartridge, wherein said firing drive comprises a firing element, and wherein said closure drive and said firing drive are operable separately; and 
 an articulation system operable to articulate said end effector about said articulation joint, wherein said closure element traverses said articulation joint and transmits said closing motion to said end effector, and wherein said firing element traverses said articulation joint and transmits said firing motion to said staple cartridge. 
 
     
     
       8. The stapling instrument of  claim 7 , wherein said articulation joint defines a first fixed articulation axis extending in a first direction and a second fixed articulation axis extending in a second direction, and wherein said first direction is different than said second direction. 
     
     
       9. A stapling assembly, comprising:
 a housing, comprising:
 a microcontroller; 
 a motor assembly; and 
 a battery; 
 
 an end effector, comprising:
 an anvil; 
 a staple cartridge; and 
 a passive RFID tag, wherein said passive RFID tag comprises stored information regarding an aspect of said staple cartridge; 
 
 an articulation joint; and 
 a rigid shaft assembly, comprising:
 a proximal end, wherein said rigid shaft assembly is connected to said housing at said proximal end; 
 a distal end, wherein said end effector is attached to said rigid shaft assembly at said distal end by said articulation joint, and wherein said articulation joint enables said end effector to be articulated about an articulation axis which is transverse to said longitudinal axis; and 
 an RFID reader, wherein said RFID reader comprises:
 an inductive coil configured to transmit inductive signals to said passive RFID tag; and 
 a receiving antenna, wherein said RFID reader is configured to receive signals from said passive RFID tag by way of said receiving antenna, and wherein said RFID reader is connected to said microcontroller by a wired connection. 
 
 
 
     
     
       10. The stapling assembly of  claim 9 , wherein said aspect relates to a firing status of said staple cartridge. 
     
     
       11. The stapling assembly of  claim 9 , wherein said aspect relates to an identity of said staple cartridge. 
     
     
       12. The stapling assembly of  claim 9 , wherein said end effector comprises a second RFID tag. 
     
     
       13. The stapling assembly of  claim 12 , wherein said second RFID tag comprises stored information regarding a second aspect of said staple cartridge. 
     
     
       14. The stapling assembly of  claim 13 , wherein said second aspect relates to said staple cartridge type. 
     
     
       15. The stapling assembly of  claim 9 , wherein said stapling assembly further comprises:
 a closure drive operable to transmit a closing motion to move said end effector from an open configuration to a clamped configuration, wherein said closure drive comprises a closure element; 
 a firing drive operable to transmit a firing motion to eject staples from said staple cartridge, wherein said firing drive comprises a firing element, and wherein said closure drive and said firing drive are operable separately; and 
 an articulation system operable to articulate said end effector about said articulation joint, wherein said closure element traverses said articulation joint and transmits said closing motion to said end effector, and wherein said firing element traverses said articulation joint and transmits said firing motion to said staple cartridge. 
 
     
     
       16. The stapling assembly of  claim 15 , wherein said articulation joint defines a first fixed articulation axis extending in a first direction and a second fixed articulation axis extending in a second direction, and wherein said first direction is different than said second direction. 
     
     
       17. A stapling system, comprising:
 a control system; 
 a motor assembly; 
 a battery; 
 an end effector, comprising:
 an anvil; 
 a staple cartridge; and 
 an RFID tag passively powered by inductive signals, wherein said RFID tag comprises stored information regarding an operation aspect of said staple cartridge; 
 
 an articulation joint; and 
 a rigid shaft assembly, comprising:
 a longitudinal axis; 
 a proximal end, wherein said rigid shaft assembly is connected to said stapling system at said proximal end; 
 a distal end, wherein said end effector is attached to said rigid shaft assembly at said distal end by said articulation joint, and wherein said articulation joint enables said end effector to be articulated about an articulation axis which is transverse to said longitudinal axis; 
 a wired connection; and 
 an RFID reader, wherein said RFID reader comprises:
 an inductive coil at said distal end, wherein said inductive coil transmits signals to said RFID tag; and 
 a receiving antenna, wherein said RFID reader is configured to communicate with said RFID tag via said receiving antenna, and wherein said RFID reader is connected to said control system by said wired connection. 
 
 
 
     
     
       18. The stapling system of  claim 17 , wherein said operation aspect relates to a firing status of said staple cartridge. 
     
     
       19. The stapling system of  claim 17 , wherein said operation aspect relates to an identity of said staple cartridge. 
     
     
       20. The stapling system of  claim 17 , wherein said end effector comprises a second RFID tag. 
     
     
       21. The stapling system of  claim 20 , wherein said second RFID tag comprises stored information regarding a second aspect of said staple cartridge. 
     
     
       22. The stapling system of  claim 21 , wherein said second aspect relates to said staple cartridge type. 
     
     
       23. The stapling system of  claim 17 , wherein said stapling system further comprises:
 a closure drive operable to transmit a closing motion to move said end effector from an open configuration to a clamped configuration, wherein said closure drive comprises a closure element; 
 a firing drive operable to transmit a firing motion to eject staples from said staple cartridge, wherein said firing drive comprises a firing element, and wherein said closure drive and said firing drive are operable separately; and 
 an articulation system operable to articulate said end effector about said articulation joint, wherein said closure element traverses said articulation joint and transmits said closure motion to said end effector, and wherein said firing element traverses said articulation joint and transmits said firing motion to said staple cartridge. 
 
     
     
       24. The stapling system of  claim 23 , wherein said articulation joint defines a first fixed articulation axis extending in a first direction and a second fixed articulation axis extending in a second direction, and wherein said first direction is different than said second direction. 
     
     
       25. The stapling system of  claim 17 , further comprising a housing, wherein said housing comprises an enclosure and a drive interface, and wherein said motor assembly comprises a drive element that is operably engageable with said drive interface.